Durham hospitals cleared of Savile abuse links

ALLEGATIONS that paedophile Jimmy Savile had children from Durham’s Dryburn Hospital procured for him have been found not to be true, an investigation has found.

The details came as part of a nationwide probe into the disgraced DJ’s visits to NHS sites before his death aged 84, in 2011.

Savile was found to be a prolific sex offender, whose victims included those aged from five to 75.

He abused patients in their beds, in corridors and offices at hospitals across the country, according to a report released yesterday.

However, the investigation concluded that Savile did not abuse any staff or patients at Durham’s Dryburn Hospital, now the University Hospital of North Durham, after allegations emerged that someone who worked at the hospital helped to procure children for him.

“This investigation has not found any evidence of any procurement of boys or girls for Jimmy Savile connected to Dryburn Hospital,” said the report.

Savile made a visit to Shotley Bridge Hospital, in County Durham, in January 1981, when he met with staff and patients on a children’s ward.

Allegations have since been made that he acted inappropriately.

However, no improper conduct was found to have taken place according to investigators.

The report added: “No evidence of anything untoward or inappropriate taking place during the visit involving Jimmy Savile and the children on the ward has come to light.”

A series of chilling reports revealed Savile subjected patients at hospitals in other parts of the country to sexual abuse for more than four decades.

He is accused of engaging in sexual activity with corpses in a hospital mortuary.

At high-security hospital Broadmoor, Savile sexually abused at least five individuals, including two patients who were subjected to repeated assaults.

Investigators discovered members of staff at LGI had failed to pass on complaints of abuse to senior managers.